Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Hunted ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

About a week after the incident that taught Duke that Yugi and his friends were different from regular vampires, Yugi was allowed out of the wheelchair. “Yes,” Yugi shouted, “finally, I get to get out of that thing. I hated having to use it. It made me feel useless and all that sitting made me bored.”

 

Atem smiled at this. “Why don't you go find the others out in the indoor garden,” he suggested.”

 

“Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to help me find out why it was that I got burned, you know before,” Yugi stated. “I kind of want to know why myself.”

 

Atem looked up from his paperwork, “That would involve repeating everything from before. I am not willing to put you through that process again, especially since you've just barely gotten out of the wheelchair.”

 

“Please Yami,” Yugi pleaded. “I really want to know why I burned before and why I can tolerate the sun now.”

 

Atem sighed, “Even if we were to repeat the whole thing, we turned that other vamp over to the Council almost a week ago.”

 

“Why can't we wait until you guys capture another,” Yugi suggested as Duke and Tristan walked in.

 

“Another what,” Tristan asked.

 

Yugi looked up, “nothing.”

 

“Yugi is insisting on trying to find out why he burned before and why the sunlight doesn't hurt him now,” Atem replied. “Even if I were willing to repeat the process, we don't have a normal vamp in the holding cells at the moment.”

 

Duke looked at Yugi, “I think you should consider that Atem almost lost you a few times. Not only that, but you were confined to the wheelchair that you were just released from.”

 

“I want you to think about this seriously, Yugi,” Atem told him. “If, by the time we catch another, you are still serious about this I will repeat what you went through; though it is against my better judgment.”

 

Yugi nodded and left the room. Tristan looked at the small vampire, “Are you seriously going to let the little guy go through with this?”

 

“I have no other choice. If I said no, he would likely try to do this himself,” Atem replied. “I can't allow that to happen.”

 

 

“Marik! Those cinnamon rolls were for Yugi,” Malik whined when he saw that Marik had found the rolls while he was helping Ryou in the kitchen. “How could…mrrph.”

 

Marik grinned as he silenced Malik with part of a cinnamon roll before finishing off the one he was eating. “I didn't eat them all,” Marik pointed out. “Besides, you left them out in the open without a note or anything. They were fair game.”

 

Malik glared at Marik while he removed the roll from his mouth. “You're horrid! Ryou made those for Yugi's birthday,” Malik yelled at him. “He hasn't had one of those in ten years! Now he might not have any for a little longer because of you!” He threw the piece that Marik had used to silence him at Marik before leaving.

 

Marik watched as Malik stormed out of the dining room. Joey and Tea had just come in at the end of Malik's rant. “I think you should have asked first, pal,” Joey told him.

 

Ryou came out of the kitchen, “I heard Malik yelling. What…” He then noticed the cinnamon rolls were gone, “Oh my. What happened to Yugi's birthday treat?”

 

Marik immediately left the room, “I think I left a book open or something!”

 

Tea covered her face with her hand, “Why does it seem that Marik can't think of a proper excuse when he's trying to avoid giving a straight answer?”

 

Joey shrugged and Ryou just shook his head, “I think I'll make Yugi something else for his birthday treat.”

 

“So today's Yugi's birthday,” Tea asked.

 

Ryou nodded, “He hasn't really been able to have a decent one in a while what with us being on the run and all. I thought that it would be a good idea now, since we're safe.”

 

“It's Atem's birthday, too,” Joey informed Ryou.

 

 

Yugi found Malik in his room, “Hey, Malik. Wanna go play a game in the library? I think Tristan found the kings that Marik stole last week when he lost.”

 

“Please don't even mention his name! That jerk ate something that didn't even belong to him,” Malik complained. “I swear that the next time I see him, I'll, I'll...I don't know what I'll do. But I know I'll do something to him.”

 

Yugi backed up, “Ok, I think I'll go find something else to do for a bit then.”

 

 

Yugi had learned that Malik just needed time alone whenever he was this upset after one incident when they were younger. On that particular occasion, Malik had been framed for shoplifting when he had, in fact, paid for the item. He had the receipt in his hand when the real thief snatched it from his hand. Unfortunately for Malik, the stolen item was the same one that he had just paid for and the adults didn't believe him, Ryou, or Yugi. His father showed up and not only made Malik return what he had paid for, but grounded him in front of everyone for something he didn't do.

 

Malik blew up the moment his father got the three boys to their home. He ran to his room and slammed the door shut. Yugi, thinking that he could calm his friend down, opened the door and was hit in the shoulder with a thrown picture frame. He didn't even think about the injury, just his hurt and upset friend. Yugi had given Malik a hug, despite the painful and bleeding shoulder. Malik noticed the blood and knew that he had hurt his best friend and honorary brother. Yugi tried to brush it off but ended up with five stitches despite his protests. But he never held it against Malik and told him to stop apologizing. In fact, Yugi went back to the store and re-bought Malik's toy for him.

 

 

Atem found Yugi in the library flipping through the large book on cats. He realized that the young vampire was bored. “Yugi,” he said, causing the boy to jump, “would you like to help me with something in the lab?”

 

“Sure,” Yugi replied, still flipping through the book. “I wanted to play chess earlier but not only was nobody around; the kings are still missing from last week. Marik stole them when he lost to Seto.”

 

Atem nodded, “Let's go then.”

 

Yugi closed the book and set it back on the table. He followed Atem to the lab, “So what was it that you wanted help with?”

 

“I read in one of our old books on Vampire Lore that some vampires had the ability to turn into bats, black cats, snakes, or wolves,” Atem explained. “I believe that this ability is limited to those few animals.”

 

Yugi looked interested, “So you want to see if I might have this same ability?”

 

“Yes, that is if you're willing to help with my research,” Atem replied.

 

“Of course I am Yami,” Yugi stated. “Anything to help you and the others with research, as long as it's not too painful.”

 

Atem instructed Yugi to calm down and concentrate. Yugi nodded as Atem left the room for a bit while Yugi tried to see if he could change.

 

He closed his eyes and concentrated on clearing his mind. When he reopened them, Yugi was surprised to see that the room looked bigger. He looked down and noticed that he had small paws. Just as he was trying to figure out what he was, Ishizu came in. “Well, hello there little one,” she said. “Now how did you get in here?”

 

Atem came back in, “Hi Ishizu. What's that you're holding?”

 

“Greetings Atem,” she replied. “Do you know how this Egyptian Mau got in here?”

 

“Yugi,” Atem asked in disbelief. The small vampire-turned-cat nodded. Atem looked at the feline and was astonished at Yugi's animal form, “I don't believe it. Yugi can turn into a cat!”

 

Ishizu looked at Yugi, “What a fitting form for you, Young One. Even the bronze color suits you.” Yugi tilted his head as if asking a question. Ishizu laughed, “Didn't Atem tell you that he was named after an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh? I have heard that you consider him as a brother, so this form suits you perfectly.”

 

Yugi nodded, looked at Atem, flicked his tail, and darted from the room. Ishizu laughed again, “I think Yugi s planning on having fun in animal form for a bit. You might want to keep an eye on him since Marik likes to torment small animals now and then.

 

 

Yugi found Malik still in his room fuming. He padded in and jumped on the bed next to his best friend. Malik felt it when he landed on the mattress.

 

He looked over and saw a tan cat with spots and wearing a collar. He smiled, “Hello.” The cat sat there staring at the wall. “It's ok,” Malik told him, “I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just upset that a friend of mine lost a special treat before he even got it.”

 

Then the cat looked at him and tilted its head to the right. Suddenly it hit Malik; this cat was acting like Yugi. He knew that after the supposed shoplifting incident, Yugi would sit near Malik and stare at the wall, floor, or patterns on the blanket until Malik spoke. Then after hearing him speak, Yugi would look at him and tilt his head to the right.

 

“Yugi, you know I `hate' when you `trick' me into telling you what upset me,” Malik stated. Yugi pawed the air before taking off. Malik laughed at his best friend before realizing that Yugi was a cat.